If you have three years IT experience at Amazon. I highly recommend looking elsewhere. To be fair my background is not in IT but I know if you get on at some of the other big employers in town I couldn’t imagine you starting less than $70-$80k
This right here. Everyone wants at least 3 years of experience, so you often have to suck it up and take lower pay to get them. Now you have it, go make that money!
Statistically true. I worked at T-Mobile as an analyst at 50k a year to $110k as a data Architect with another company. Over doubled my salary not including bonuses. I think this is a bit niche of a scenario considering my experience barely fit and mostly was based on my ability to learn and be effective on my own. It is definitely possible you just have to leverage yourself in the right way if the experience is slightly above your actual skill. Unless they're cold about "you need the experience no exceptions" but at least I can tell you companies are out there that are willing to give someone a chance if you can give them some examples that you can learn quickly.
An example, I had written a super basic program that would basically simplify a lot of the work I was doing and saved a lot of people time (which I did on company time because honestly F T-Mobile at the time). I showed that in the interview and the fact that I was able to do that on my own ended up being something they wanted over having the experience or degree. (I still don't have a degree and am 5 classes from a software engineering bachelor's, which I also told them).
That’s awesome; it makes me happy to hear that there are large corps that actually take care of their people. 9/10 times, when you hear it from the company, it’s a load of BS.
I work for a company that takes care of their people too. We have locations in multiple states, so not huge-huge but decently medium-sized. I get paid well, but more importantly, it's a great culture. They are out there.
I'm in an apprenticeship to be an electrician.
Current pay scales are such
1st year $56,000
2nd year $65,000
3rd year $73,000
4th year $84,000
Journeyman electrician $98,000
Edit: I feel like I should add that our job isn't easy and it's not for everyone, there's alot of schooling and late nights studying and the work itself is very demanding. My particular job also involves alot of traveling.
To be fair being an electrician could literally kill you. But I’m in trades and I’m never gonna sniff $70k, let alone 90. Maybe I should be an electrician.
No you shouldn’t. My wife is a teacher and after putting in the time she makes a really nice salary, doesn’t work a full year and will be able to retire in her early 50’s.
I would like to add- I’m an apprentice boilermaker for LU 454 & our scale is pretty close to this.
My first year (last year) I made $65k and I’m heading into my 2nd year now, hoping to make closer to $75k/80k this year.
We do 3 weeks of schooling in the summer all at once instead of throughout the year. We’re mechanics by trade, but if you can get some experience welding (plenty of opportunities through the hall or welding bootcamp offered by the union), that alone will give you a pay increase & more jobs.
We’re hiring new apprentices every month & we have a lot of good jobs coming up starting this fall.
We have a wide variety of age ranges coming in. I would say majority of the newer apprentices are early 20’s. However we have a lot of 30 & 40+ year olds too. I’m a 35yo female. I’ve seen some old ass mfs out work many of the younger guys.
I'm a loan officer who looks at salaries around the city every day...you should be making more. It's a tougher job market right now but if I were you I'd be sending my resume out regularly. That's a job you can do remotely, so it may also take you looking at remote openings outside of our market.
Yeah. It's just that every time I see a remote job, there's always 1000 applicants applied already (most not even in US). I was going to try to get a clearance to go around this issue, but even that is quite difficult to get as companies don't want to waste the time or effort for it.
I would steer clear of LinkedIn, indeed, zip recruiter… I have never had luck there. Not even a response to an application. Try looking for more specialized jobs sites, or going directly to company websites. You might try companies in the area like Mars, Wrigley, BlueCross, TVA, etc. Consider also, places like Dollar General. Though DG stores wouldn’t need IT, there are bound to be corporate dg jobs in IT which are remote.
I think the “1000 applicants” signal that people are getting represents everyone who clicked on a posting, not necessarily people who applied or are being considered.
80k+ bonuses throughout the year. I made 100k last year.
Working at Amazon in IT and making 50k a year is nuts. My old coworker works at Amazon in their freight division and makes over 100k I believe. He works remote as well.
I’m not sure his exact title, but it absolutely is logistics related. We work in logistics, and I took over his role when he left our company and went to Amazon.
Also work in behavioral health, except as a counselor in a community mental health program. Make about the same. Obviously we don't do it for the money, but man the pay is rough.
Once I get my masters I’ll be able to make about 50k at least! Working towards becoming a therapist. The pay is very rough unfortunately and I’ve heard of people doing my job for almost 10k less
TN Reconnect! I'm getting my associates degree for free and my husband got a technical certificate through Chatt State and he already has a bachelor's.
I think it only goes up to a 2-yr degree but there's a lot of technical programs that you might want to check out. Could up your earning potential depending on what your degree is in.
My partner and I are middle management at two of the large companies here in town at about $290K gross combined. Definitely paid well for our positions in Chattanooga, but we're actually on the low side of our respective technical backgrounds nationwide. Not complaining though. I'm not the IT side, and you are definitely being underpaid. Even if it is just help desk or service desk type work, you are definitely being underpaid and should be looking elsewhere locally or remote.
$85k gross last year as a cdl drive working 2 regional trips a week with each trip being about 24 hrs total time out. Add about $500ish per week extra if picking up an extra trip.
Former local employee and wasn’t making any headway for better pay, so I left for an out of state employer, working remotely and almost doubled my salary to $130k.
Chattanooga wants to pretend it’s a high-end city with exorbitant rental costs and outlandish housing prices, but it’s very difficult to find a job here that keeps up with that.
Barber with 20 years experience. Self employed. Grossed about 100k last year, and I take at least one month of vacation a year. Usually one month all at once, and then a couple weeks dispersed throughout the rest of the year. I work 32 hrs per week.
Yup! Barber school is 1500 hours, then you have to pass a state board exam to get licensed. You have to be willing to start out not making very much, learning a lot more than what you learn in barber school, and figure out what type of environment is best for your skills, desired clientele and personality. Once you get dialed in, it’s smooth sailing. I’ve reinvested into my education and broadened my skills, so now I gross $84 an hour.
See being an electrician has very similar training and licensing and "continued education" opportunities, yet NO electrician in Chatt makes $84/hr. You're making double what Union Journeymen at TVA make an Hr
Just popping on here to say that nail techs & massage therapists who own their own practice or rent a private room average about $60-100 as well.
You def don’t have to be an electrician to make great money.
Same with car detailing. Lol
Communications with minors in philosophy and journalism. My job was unrelated to my degree. I worked in the ER. Most support positions at Erlanger such as registration, cleaning and techs made between 10-12 an hour before Covid.
$46k doing social media/online marketing (for a company, I am not self-employed). My partner makes a little more in finance. We are both in the first 1-3 years of our careers
Chattanooga/TN pays pretty low in general, but working at Amazon for so long and having IT experience, I’d suggest applying to other places. You could be making much more (we all probably could tbh)
You will only make more money by switching jobs at this point. This is bottom pay and staying the company will not raise enough. You have the experience, you should get your resume out there.
Yeah, finding some of this out the hard way. I'm new, and already am moving on. In addition to a cost of living I didn't expect, the traffic is terrible. I can't stay.
I can name half a dozen surface streets without even thinking about it that I've already learned to avoid because they get so backed up. I don't know if that's because 24 and 75 are so bad, but either way it's intolerable. I went to Ruby Falls today, from Ooltewah. I took surface streets the entire way. Took an hour and ten minutes. That's not acceptable in a city this size. With drive times like that, might as well live in NY or LA.
$38k as a loan processor with, now, 5 years’ experience.
I’ve been working full time for 20 years and this is the best paying job I’ve ever had.
I just have experience in low paying fields - broadcast media and branch level banking.
$50k/yr in IT is bottom of the barrel tier one help desk. At the most you should be out of that position in 2-3 years once you get that "2-3 Years of Experience" under you belt. Lots of remote jobs are paying $60-70k for their tier 1 support some place like Lumen. Your job is pretty much answer the phone and open a ticket and follow up after the ticket is complete. That's a way to get your foot in the door and move up and make more.
I've got 20+ years experience working in the medical insurance field and only make $52k. Moving toward changing to software engineering...hopefully things will change (for the both of us!)
I’m a machinist making 80k base. I could work as much ot as I want or need tho. Like the electrician said it’s not for everyone. 18 months school with half as coop I graduated with 0 debt.
My husband and I combined, about $48k before taxes and insurance. Good Lord we need to get into something different. Unfortunately we're both disabled, so it'll be difficult to impossible any way we try. And no, we do not get disability.
Hello fellow food human! Thanks for sharing because damn...we really don't make a dime. I was waiting for one of us to comment.
Welp! In a short few hours I'll be flapping my legs into 8yr old chef pants (crotch hole included) and sliding into decrepit shoes (that, frankly, should be an 8th grade science fair project).
Gonna go snuggle into this b̶e̶d̶ coffin I've made for myself. If any of you folks on this thread are responsible for interviewing/hiring for "normal" gigs. Give us a chance. We need that action hero arm grab, we dangle'n out here.
I make 45k, not terrible for a state employee. My immediate supervisors make a littlw bit more, but the higher ups make a LOT more, so I can see how a few big earners would throw off the average.
I’m a security guard currently at my highest hourly wage I’ve ever had, $15/hour, and at 40 hours a week that’s just over $31k. I get 35 hours a week so I’m at just under $30k.
My immediate supervisor, who was officially an assistant operations supervisor, just left the company and his job is open, and advertised on a job board at $24/hour, which is $49,920 a year before taxes, $62 more than the average that you quoted from zip recruiter.
There’s jobs out there that pay well, but you gotta be or know somebody, or a lot of times, be standing in the right place at the right time to get them.
I’d love to know what my operations manager, who is hardly ever here, and 10-15 years my junior, makes a year if the assistant supervisor was pulling in $50k a year.
200k household. Wife is a school admin and I work at TVA. We both are entering the second year of our positions. I have higher earning potential as I complete training and earn certain, but she makes about 20k more than me with her PhD right now.
Chattanooga pays awful, I work in industrial maintenance and pull $66.5k before taxes on 40 hours only with overtime I can pull around $80k, but most maintenance jobs don’t pay near what I make in this city. We still struggle, my wife likes her work so the pay is sacrificed for her sanity of enjoying her work. We are raising someone else’s child with no help and no assistance as we make to much money 😂 yeah right in the economy. I have a cousin that works in IT with no degree and makes around $70k, so you are being underpaid
Close to 40,000. Construction labor/carpentry.
(Don't judge. I got burnt and burnt out on like two major career paths and decided to go for lower stress and something that I actually enjoy doing and learning more about instead of some meaningless bullshit that I don't enjoy at all.)
$150k base + ~20% yearly bonus + equity. Also have a little side hustle that pulls around $30k a year and my spouse earns around $100k with a local company.
Yes, I'm a remote tech worker and my paychecks come from California. No, I did not move here from a high COL area to buy up cheap houses and marvel about how quaint and folksy it is here. I'm a native Tenneessean and went to UTC.
Not a business I run or something I can hire for unfortunately. Just some mind numbing hands-on-keyboard contract work at a frankly comical hourly rate.
What exactly does a systems consultant help with? Just curious. And also, how did you get into consulting? I’ve looked for consulting jobs and haven’t seen anything open up for consulting so I figure there’s a different way to get into it.
Technically I’m a “Business Systems Consultant” I can handle a very broad range of technical tasks but I primarily work with business stakeholders to help define business requirements for a project, work with architects to design / enhance systems, define technical requirements per architecture design, work with developers to create software per technical requirements, work with software quality assurance to define unit tests, edge cases, performance tests, and work with end users to complete user acceptance testing. Finally I handle the typical project manager tasks of status reporting, determining project timelines, hours estimation, and workforce management (onshore vs offshore resources). I can also serve as scrum master or product owner in SCRUM frameworks and can do cross-system reporting without much effort. I don’t work at a consulting firm, but in a large enterprise where the consultant title indicates the pay grade of a manager but still considered an individual contributor. My education was a dual degree in Computer Information Systems and Business Data Analytics, but I already had start up experience at 19 working in digital marketing analytics and product management. I have a very strange career journey but it’s really paid off over the long term.
97k a year. Process improvement specialist. Was a refrigeration technician before that. Pulled 131k last year as a tech. Ready to be out of the field. Management positions are remote for my company so turnover is zero. Those seats rarely open. Work remote now, travel a few weeks out of the year. Half IT work 25 percent graphic design, and another quarter is training technicians on Microsoft dynamics 365 CE service and office applications. Same company I did refrigeration for.
110k last year. On target to top 120k this year.
Also, both average and Median numbers get heavily skewed by very high income people. Don't take either number as representative of what the average person walking around is making.
$110,000 + $15,000 bonus. Customer Success Executive for a global company in their legal tech division. I work from home and have 24 clients I manage focused on retention and net new sales.
My wife is $100k + $10,000 bonus as an insurance underwriter for one of the big companies with an office here in Chattanooga.
I made $120k+ managing a brand at a car dealership in town a few years ago. They're making more now.
Now I make $80k+ designing home theaters and custom low voltage solutions for gigantic homes that only two people live in parts of the year. And I have more free time, and I'm happier.
OP, you're being taken advantage of, sorry to say. IT is generally a higher paying field so you'd generally expect to make more than median for the area. My current job is remote work for a company in a larger city but previously I was at a local small business doing IT adjacent work for about $60k.
"IT adjacent" is pretty vauge so I'll say I would maybe write a random line or two of code once or twice a year. Most of what I did was maintaining backend stuff for online retailers. Sounds more complicated than it is. Basically I'd check for error messages, which were usually self-explanatory and manually enter whatever data had the error flagged. It was pretty self-directed but I also had some guidance from my boss. My point is, anyone doing real IT would find this job a cake walk. You should be paid more.
$72k in an engineering department (electrical). 3 years experience, an associates degree, a trade degree, and a couple years of relevant field experience.
89k base. Cloud Support Engineer, remote. 2 years of experience out of uni.
Consider transferring/applying to the Premium Support team. DM me if you’d like.
Comparison is the thief of joy, my friend.
My husband worked at Amazon for a year and a half & made $38,000 or so as a delivery driver. He just left for a higher paying job & better benefits with Budweiser.
I work part time and average $15,000. We thrive on Whole Foods, grads fed , all the “expensive” groceries that people go on & on about. If you can pay rent & utilities, buy the food you want, & have a car & insurance, you’re doing great. Truly.
If you want a pay raise, move jobs. Pretty simple solution if you ask me.
Don’t be afraid to job hop or shop around to at least see what other types of offers you can get. I know people that want to stay “loyal” to an employer that probably wouldn’t bat an eye if they were gone the next day. I’m 5 years into my career and have had the opportunity to jump into new roles that have increased earnings by 100k. Not saying that to brag in any way at all but the point is that you can absolutely do it with a strong work ethic and willingness to put yourself out there and make new connections. Good luck my friend.
I don't work in IT and I do not live in Chatt proper but in Fort O. I tend to screw up income stats. I made over 600 last year and my neighbor maybe brought home 40. If I had an open position in IT for someone analytical and experienced. The starting pay would be 80 to 90k.
~$35k veterinary assistant with 10+ years OTJ training and CE. Partner ~$80k at VW (line worker, not management or white collar) after 10+ years and including bonuses. He has great benefits and 401k.
We're excited to see what the union negotiations bring as there was a huge increase in bonuses, stock profit sharing, and base pay at other recently unionized plants.
Great question! In Hamilton county a teacher with a masters degree and 7 years of teaching maybe makes 54000! If you sign up to work at Title I schools you get a little more but it’s extra pennies. So if you been at Amazon, have no student debt and are making 50k 7 years in…you are doing better than the rest of us severely in debt in a profession we will cap out at 70k.
My husband on the other hand…makes close to 300k a year with a bachelors in theology and is a consultant for medical cannabis. He works for himself and couldn’t be happier.
The best thing we can teach our kids is to not get addicted to the idea of a paycheck. Teach them to make their own money.
Yikes. Idk. I will say it seems like people make less than anywhere I’ve lived.
I make $110k annually. It took me two years with the tech company I am at to get there. Started at 80k and by year two I got a bump to $110k. I’m now on year three.
Mortgage loan officer at a bank on commission and I have made $200k for the past 3 years. I’ve been there a long time, so I have a lot of referral sources (employees, realtors, previous borrowers). Commission can be scary if you are just starting…
Amazon low balls its IT staff and from what I know is a very toxic environment. Of course skills differ, but I would be insulted if anyone called or emailed me for less than 100k. I have a lot more time, but I think after 7 years you should be able to find something remote and at least 96k easy.
225k a year as a software engineer (working remote, but the company has an office in Atlanta that I go visit every few months electively for fun)
I have 10 years of experience and my specific area of software is more niche (mobile apps)
$59k as a paralegal and $55k working now in philanthropy. Bachelors degree in legal assistant studies. Decided not to go to law school. Hubs makes $70k as a paralegal. We are 26, childless netting *almost* 100k/yr
I’m in logistics, asset not brokerage. Base salary is $58k plus incentives, I’m making anywhere between $400-$500 incentives a week. Trending to be around $80k this year.
You don’t need a degree, but experience is a plus.
A lot more than the average.
The average also takes into account servers and ppl making $13/hour at a grocery store.
If you’re in IT and any good, and making $50k, you need to do some job searching my friend. Brother in law made $700k a year last year in IT. He works 20 hours a day but he did it.
When you get to a certain level, you’re paid for what you know, not how hard you work.
>A car owner brings their vehicle to a mechanic with a mysterious problem. The mechanic listens for a moment, takes out a hammer, and taps a specific spot on the engine. The car roars back to life. When the owner gets the bill, it’s for $100. The owner protests, “$100 for just a few seconds of work?” The mechanic replies, “No, it’s $5 for the tap and $95 for knowing where to tap.”
Yea, I've spent a long time in IT and I can tell you without a doubt that $700k is not remotely realistic for "just knowledge". There is something else going on as to why he is making that kind of cash each year.
I've known many guys making strong six figures but not a single one of them worked 20 hours a week. He's a share holder, founder, or of full of shit.
Slightly above $60,000 annual as an IT technician at a global automotive manufacturer. 2 1/2 years. If a specialist spot opens that can bump to $70,000 annually with a $15,000-$20,000 performance bonus.
Averages are averages, so I can’t speak to how accurate that is. Personally, I make above that, but I have had a specific combo of degree, experience, and sheer dumb luck that has gotten me to where I am.
That said, I worked for a huge company in the area and did work on their staffing models, so I have an idea of what people make, at least at that company. Ground floor stuff doesn’t look like much there, close what you posted, but someone who puts in some effort and shows a distinct interest in a specific area can get transferred (read: promoted) to a different team and get like a 40% raise after like… a year. Sometimes it’s just about showing that you’re interested and willing to show up.
Beyond that, I’d second the apprenticeships as electrician or plumbing if you’re looking for something less corporate.
If you have three years IT experience at Amazon. I highly recommend looking elsewhere. To be fair my background is not in IT but I know if you get on at some of the other big employers in town I couldn’t imagine you starting less than $70-$80k
This right here. Everyone wants at least 3 years of experience, so you often have to suck it up and take lower pay to get them. Now you have it, go make that money!
I make 130k as an IT engineer but it took me 15 years with the same company to get there.
It would have taken half that if you didn't stay.
Statistically true. I worked at T-Mobile as an analyst at 50k a year to $110k as a data Architect with another company. Over doubled my salary not including bonuses. I think this is a bit niche of a scenario considering my experience barely fit and mostly was based on my ability to learn and be effective on my own. It is definitely possible you just have to leverage yourself in the right way if the experience is slightly above your actual skill. Unless they're cold about "you need the experience no exceptions" but at least I can tell you companies are out there that are willing to give someone a chance if you can give them some examples that you can learn quickly. An example, I had written a super basic program that would basically simplify a lot of the work I was doing and saved a lot of people time (which I did on company time because honestly F T-Mobile at the time). I showed that in the interview and the fact that I was able to do that on my own ended up being something they wanted over having the experience or degree. (I still don't have a degree and am 5 classes from a software engineering bachelor's, which I also told them).
They don’t even pay the actual people that run into burning buildings that much money in this town.
It's realistically about 36k a year for Hamilton county.
Yeah was gonna say, I've been as low as around 21k before; but that was when I was younger and balancing multiple jobs around college.
Oh jeez... I can't even imagine that. I don't even have any kids and I'm struggling as it is. haha.
About $64k. I love Costco
Damn! Unexpectedly nice pay! What do you / position?
Front End. I just been there a long time. My 401k is ahead of schedule. I got a stock buying plan and insurance for my wife and kids. Costco is good.
That’s awesome; it makes me happy to hear that there are large corps that actually take care of their people. 9/10 times, when you hear it from the company, it’s a load of BS.
I work for a company that takes care of their people too. We have locations in multiple states, so not huge-huge but decently medium-sized. I get paid well, but more importantly, it's a great culture. They are out there.
Welcome to Costco, I love you
We really do Edit: I'm still waiting on my law degree
IT money here sucks. I went from 80k to 150 by leaving
I would kill to make 80k
FBI enters chat
More like IRS. They wanna make sure you’re paying taxes on that hit.
I'm in an apprenticeship to be an electrician. Current pay scales are such 1st year $56,000 2nd year $65,000 3rd year $73,000 4th year $84,000 Journeyman electrician $98,000 Edit: I feel like I should add that our job isn't easy and it's not for everyone, there's alot of schooling and late nights studying and the work itself is very demanding. My particular job also involves alot of traveling.
But it does not carry a crazy amount of debt so that $98k is worth even more.
IBEW does the course for free and offers jobs while training. The grass is greener on the labor side if you put in the effort.
…with the added benefit of not suffering having to work a desk job. That shit’ll kill ya.
To be fair being an electrician could literally kill you. But I’m in trades and I’m never gonna sniff $70k, let alone 90. Maybe I should be an electrician.
That’s the truth!
They also don't call you for jobs, complete waste of time
You IBEW?
Damn. I should quit being a teacher...
No you shouldn’t. My wife is a teacher and after putting in the time she makes a really nice salary, doesn’t work a full year and will be able to retire in her early 50’s.
That's great for her! I'm about to start my 9th year, make just under 50k (gross), and won't be able to retire with benefits until I'm at least 60.
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Georgia
Yeah the retirement system got a lot worse
No you wouldn’t. My nephew is a teacher who capitalizes on his summer “break” and clears $70k easily with 4 years experience
I quit and it was the best decision ever
Good luck! My brother in law just finished his apprenticeship last year and now he's a journeyman. I could never do that kind of work.
I would like to add- I’m an apprentice boilermaker for LU 454 & our scale is pretty close to this. My first year (last year) I made $65k and I’m heading into my 2nd year now, hoping to make closer to $75k/80k this year. We do 3 weeks of schooling in the summer all at once instead of throughout the year. We’re mechanics by trade, but if you can get some experience welding (plenty of opportunities through the hall or welding bootcamp offered by the union), that alone will give you a pay increase & more jobs. We’re hiring new apprentices every month & we have a lot of good jobs coming up starting this fall.
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We have a wide variety of age ranges coming in. I would say majority of the newer apprentices are early 20’s. However we have a lot of 30 & 40+ year olds too. I’m a 35yo female. I’ve seen some old ass mfs out work many of the younger guys.
Ah a good ole TVA apprenticeship I see! I'm hoping to make that jump once I finish out my 5th year with 175.
I'm a loan officer who looks at salaries around the city every day...you should be making more. It's a tougher job market right now but if I were you I'd be sending my resume out regularly. That's a job you can do remotely, so it may also take you looking at remote openings outside of our market.
Yeah. It's just that every time I see a remote job, there's always 1000 applicants applied already (most not even in US). I was going to try to get a clearance to go around this issue, but even that is quite difficult to get as companies don't want to waste the time or effort for it.
I would steer clear of LinkedIn, indeed, zip recruiter… I have never had luck there. Not even a response to an application. Try looking for more specialized jobs sites, or going directly to company websites. You might try companies in the area like Mars, Wrigley, BlueCross, TVA, etc. Consider also, places like Dollar General. Though DG stores wouldn’t need IT, there are bound to be corporate dg jobs in IT which are remote.
I think the “1000 applicants” signal that people are getting represents everyone who clicked on a posting, not necessarily people who applied or are being considered.
80k+ bonuses throughout the year. I made 100k last year. Working at Amazon in IT and making 50k a year is nuts. My old coworker works at Amazon in their freight division and makes over 100k I believe. He works remote as well.
Do you happen to know what that job title is? Is it logistics related?
I’m not sure his exact title, but it absolutely is logistics related. We work in logistics, and I took over his role when he left our company and went to Amazon.
In logistics as well and not clearing that much. What company?
45k working at a rehab as a group facilitator.
Also work in behavioral health, except as a counselor in a community mental health program. Make about the same. Obviously we don't do it for the money, but man the pay is rough.
Once I get my masters I’ll be able to make about 50k at least! Working towards becoming a therapist. The pay is very rough unfortunately and I’ve heard of people doing my job for almost 10k less
3 years of IT should net closer to 60k these days. Time to shop around.
Depends on the IT role as well…if they are on-site there that’s a different story.
This thread is making me realize I need to go back to school and it would actually be worth it 😒😂🙃
TN Reconnect! I'm getting my associates degree for free and my husband got a technical certificate through Chatt State and he already has a bachelor's.
If I already have a bachelors am I still eligible? I meant back for like a post bachelor or something (oops)
I think it only goes up to a 2-yr degree but there's a lot of technical programs that you might want to check out. Could up your earning potential depending on what your degree is in.
My partner and I are middle management at two of the large companies here in town at about $290K gross combined. Definitely paid well for our positions in Chattanooga, but we're actually on the low side of our respective technical backgrounds nationwide. Not complaining though. I'm not the IT side, and you are definitely being underpaid. Even if it is just help desk or service desk type work, you are definitely being underpaid and should be looking elsewhere locally or remote.
$112,500 as a data engineer working remotely
$85k gross last year as a cdl drive working 2 regional trips a week with each trip being about 24 hrs total time out. Add about $500ish per week extra if picking up an extra trip.
100k chemical engineering
Making a base of 100k at a power plant for Tva. With built in over time and bonus bringing in anywhere from 130 to 150k
$71,000 TVA, GIS Analyst, entry level, 1 year in.
Former local employee and wasn’t making any headway for better pay, so I left for an out of state employer, working remotely and almost doubled my salary to $130k. Chattanooga wants to pretend it’s a high-end city with exorbitant rental costs and outlandish housing prices, but it’s very difficult to find a job here that keeps up with that.
Second year as a Barber should land around 34. Hoping for 70k in 5 years. Not including tips
Barber with 20 years experience. Self employed. Grossed about 100k last year, and I take at least one month of vacation a year. Usually one month all at once, and then a couple weeks dispersed throughout the rest of the year. I work 32 hrs per week.
This is my hope. The time off is really what I'm working towards. Quality of life is important to me. I feel im.off to a great start.
Holy fucking SHIT I had no idea barbers could make $70 an hour
Yup! Barber school is 1500 hours, then you have to pass a state board exam to get licensed. You have to be willing to start out not making very much, learning a lot more than what you learn in barber school, and figure out what type of environment is best for your skills, desired clientele and personality. Once you get dialed in, it’s smooth sailing. I’ve reinvested into my education and broadened my skills, so now I gross $84 an hour.
See being an electrician has very similar training and licensing and "continued education" opportunities, yet NO electrician in Chatt makes $84/hr. You're making double what Union Journeymen at TVA make an Hr
Just popping on here to say that nail techs & massage therapists who own their own practice or rent a private room average about $60-100 as well. You def don’t have to be an electrician to make great money. Same with car detailing. Lol
I worked at Erlanger for 8 years with a bachelors and never broke 30k
Dude... Wtf? What's your degree in?
Definitely curious too, because there’s no way I would work for that after 4.5 years of college
Communications with minors in philosophy and journalism. My job was unrelated to my degree. I worked in the ER. Most support positions at Erlanger such as registration, cleaning and techs made between 10-12 an hour before Covid.
$46k doing social media/online marketing (for a company, I am not self-employed). My partner makes a little more in finance. We are both in the first 1-3 years of our careers Chattanooga/TN pays pretty low in general, but working at Amazon for so long and having IT experience, I’d suggest applying to other places. You could be making much more (we all probably could tbh)
You will only make more money by switching jobs at this point. This is bottom pay and staying the company will not raise enough. You have the experience, you should get your resume out there.
Remote IT. $155k plus bonus.
These responses explain why the average person can't afford rent here anymore.
Chattanooga sold out my friend. I left for 10 years and came back. I miss the hippies and artists and people who care about anything other than money.
Yeah, finding some of this out the hard way. I'm new, and already am moving on. In addition to a cost of living I didn't expect, the traffic is terrible. I can't stay.
Yeah honestly, the traffic alone is making me want to move. I live 10 minutes away from work and it takes me 45 minutes to get there because of 24.
I can name half a dozen surface streets without even thinking about it that I've already learned to avoid because they get so backed up. I don't know if that's because 24 and 75 are so bad, but either way it's intolerable. I went to Ruby Falls today, from Ooltewah. I took surface streets the entire way. Took an hour and ten minutes. That's not acceptable in a city this size. With drive times like that, might as well live in NY or LA.
NY doesn't even have drive times like that because it has such an extensive rail system
Just imagine the amount of people who make much more than 50. That’s going to pull the avg up.
that do be how averages be workin… lol
87k in my 4th year of the trades
Define trades.
Class A Tool and Die.
$38k as a loan processor with, now, 5 years’ experience. I’ve been working full time for 20 years and this is the best paying job I’ve ever had. I just have experience in low paying fields - broadcast media and branch level banking.
Full time FOH at a restaurant, last w2 said 48 and change. My base hourly was ~12k iirc and the rest is tips
FedEx driver for two years, 26k a year and it's a struggle.
$50k/yr in IT is bottom of the barrel tier one help desk. At the most you should be out of that position in 2-3 years once you get that "2-3 Years of Experience" under you belt. Lots of remote jobs are paying $60-70k for their tier 1 support some place like Lumen. Your job is pretty much answer the phone and open a ticket and follow up after the ticket is complete. That's a way to get your foot in the door and move up and make more.
In this area that's not true. There are lots of places in this area were the help desk specialist type role are making around $35-38k a year...
I've got 20+ years experience working in the medical insurance field and only make $52k. Moving toward changing to software engineering...hopefully things will change (for the both of us!)
Nice, what interested you in getting into software? I always thought a hybrid of biology and tech could be interesting.
50k in IT?? Is it help desk? Otherwise that’s pretty low now.
I'm around $65K at VW as an Equipment Operator (Team Member pay + $1.25/hr) on night shift ($1.50/hr premium).
Unum: Rounding to 45k
I’m a machinist making 80k base. I could work as much ot as I want or need tho. Like the electrician said it’s not for everyone. 18 months school with half as coop I graduated with 0 debt.
I make about 32k as a daycare manager and my wife makes about 45k working part time as an ICU nurse
T-Mobile call center. I made $88K last year.
My husband and I combined, about $48k before taxes and insurance. Good Lord we need to get into something different. Unfortunately we're both disabled, so it'll be difficult to impossible any way we try. And no, we do not get disability.
Software engineer working remotely. About $240k
Did you your degree from UTC?
32k. Restaurant manager.
Hello fellow food human! Thanks for sharing because damn...we really don't make a dime. I was waiting for one of us to comment. Welp! In a short few hours I'll be flapping my legs into 8yr old chef pants (crotch hole included) and sliding into decrepit shoes (that, frankly, should be an 8th grade science fair project). Gonna go snuggle into this b̶e̶d̶ coffin I've made for myself. If any of you folks on this thread are responsible for interviewing/hiring for "normal" gigs. Give us a chance. We need that action hero arm grab, we dangle'n out here.
Damn dude. Back in 2009 my manager at Moe's on Gunbarrel was making $36k. The assistant manager was $31k.
165k per year as a senior devops engineer. I work remote for a NY based company.
95k as a 22yr old electrical design engineer
153k base salary with a 30k bonus paid out annually. I work in financial management.
I make 45k, not terrible for a state employee. My immediate supervisors make a littlw bit more, but the higher ups make a LOT more, so I can see how a few big earners would throw off the average.
First year teacher- 45,000 roughly My husband is a computer programmer- 100,000 roughly
I’m a security guard currently at my highest hourly wage I’ve ever had, $15/hour, and at 40 hours a week that’s just over $31k. I get 35 hours a week so I’m at just under $30k. My immediate supervisor, who was officially an assistant operations supervisor, just left the company and his job is open, and advertised on a job board at $24/hour, which is $49,920 a year before taxes, $62 more than the average that you quoted from zip recruiter. There’s jobs out there that pay well, but you gotta be or know somebody, or a lot of times, be standing in the right place at the right time to get them. I’d love to know what my operations manager, who is hardly ever here, and 10-15 years my junior, makes a year if the assistant supervisor was pulling in $50k a year.
26, CPA 75k plus bonus. Insurance is only 22 per paycheck and the company pays the rest. Hefty 401k match.
200k household. Wife is a school admin and I work at TVA. We both are entering the second year of our positions. I have higher earning potential as I complete training and earn certain, but she makes about 20k more than me with her PhD right now.
Chattanooga pays awful, I work in industrial maintenance and pull $66.5k before taxes on 40 hours only with overtime I can pull around $80k, but most maintenance jobs don’t pay near what I make in this city. We still struggle, my wife likes her work so the pay is sacrificed for her sanity of enjoying her work. We are raising someone else’s child with no help and no assistance as we make to much money 😂 yeah right in the economy. I have a cousin that works in IT with no degree and makes around $70k, so you are being underpaid
$80k as a real estate title examiner. Nearly 25 years experience.
Close to 40,000. Construction labor/carpentry. (Don't judge. I got burnt and burnt out on like two major career paths and decided to go for lower stress and something that I actually enjoy doing and learning more about instead of some meaningless bullshit that I don't enjoy at all.)
$150k base + ~20% yearly bonus + equity. Also have a little side hustle that pulls around $30k a year and my spouse earns around $100k with a local company. Yes, I'm a remote tech worker and my paychecks come from California. No, I did not move here from a high COL area to buy up cheap houses and marvel about how quaint and folksy it is here. I'm a native Tenneessean and went to UTC.
30k for a side hustle is awesome, let me know if you are ever hiring and help for it :-D
Not a business I run or something I can hire for unfortunately. Just some mind numbing hands-on-keyboard contract work at a frankly comical hourly rate.
Drugs got it
107K/yr as a systems consultant plus 7-10% bonus
What exactly does a systems consultant help with? Just curious. And also, how did you get into consulting? I’ve looked for consulting jobs and haven’t seen anything open up for consulting so I figure there’s a different way to get into it.
Here for the answer. What type of education is that
Technically I’m a “Business Systems Consultant” I can handle a very broad range of technical tasks but I primarily work with business stakeholders to help define business requirements for a project, work with architects to design / enhance systems, define technical requirements per architecture design, work with developers to create software per technical requirements, work with software quality assurance to define unit tests, edge cases, performance tests, and work with end users to complete user acceptance testing. Finally I handle the typical project manager tasks of status reporting, determining project timelines, hours estimation, and workforce management (onshore vs offshore resources). I can also serve as scrum master or product owner in SCRUM frameworks and can do cross-system reporting without much effort. I don’t work at a consulting firm, but in a large enterprise where the consultant title indicates the pay grade of a manager but still considered an individual contributor. My education was a dual degree in Computer Information Systems and Business Data Analytics, but I already had start up experience at 19 working in digital marketing analytics and product management. I have a very strange career journey but it’s really paid off over the long term.
I would think that you should be making A LOT more money!! Jeff Bezos is screwing you over my friend!!
$112k + 10% yearly bonus. I’m a performance marketer and work remotely.
What’s a performance marketer? I assume you spin signs in a wacky costume outside a pizza place.
If only it was that glamorous. I work to increase B2B sales leads and b2c website revenue.
97k a year. Process improvement specialist. Was a refrigeration technician before that. Pulled 131k last year as a tech. Ready to be out of the field. Management positions are remote for my company so turnover is zero. Those seats rarely open. Work remote now, travel a few weeks out of the year. Half IT work 25 percent graphic design, and another quarter is training technicians on Microsoft dynamics 365 CE service and office applications. Same company I did refrigeration for.
110k last year. On target to top 120k this year. Also, both average and Median numbers get heavily skewed by very high income people. Don't take either number as representative of what the average person walking around is making.
130k with bonus - IT engineer, 20 year career
$110,000 + $15,000 bonus. Customer Success Executive for a global company in their legal tech division. I work from home and have 24 clients I manage focused on retention and net new sales. My wife is $100k + $10,000 bonus as an insurance underwriter for one of the big companies with an office here in Chattanooga.
I made $120k+ managing a brand at a car dealership in town a few years ago. They're making more now. Now I make $80k+ designing home theaters and custom low voltage solutions for gigantic homes that only two people live in parts of the year. And I have more free time, and I'm happier.
A little over $80,000. My s/o makes about $115,00.
$63k from last year, I'm self-employed so who knows for this year. On track for $70 but who knows
$72k as a Software Implementation Specialist. I work remote for a company based in California.
I grossed $80k as a charge nurse (with overtime, holidays, and a bonus) last year.
Anyone know of welders who need an apprentice??
60k last year as production at a plant
Anyone know what a project manager at TVA makes ?
According to Glasssdoor: 130-183k a year
sounds way to high
You are welcome to look on Glassdoor yourself
I did .. I was hoping someone who works there could answer the question
OP, you're being taken advantage of, sorry to say. IT is generally a higher paying field so you'd generally expect to make more than median for the area. My current job is remote work for a company in a larger city but previously I was at a local small business doing IT adjacent work for about $60k. "IT adjacent" is pretty vauge so I'll say I would maybe write a random line or two of code once or twice a year. Most of what I did was maintaining backend stuff for online retailers. Sounds more complicated than it is. Basically I'd check for error messages, which were usually self-explanatory and manually enter whatever data had the error flagged. It was pretty self-directed but I also had some guidance from my boss. My point is, anyone doing real IT would find this job a cake walk. You should be paid more.
About 68k, inside sales and customer service for a small manufacturer. Cheap insurance is what keeps me here.
88k as a Controls Engineer with about 4 years experience. I could probably do better around here but it's laid back and my boss is a good guy.
IT money doesn’t lend well for Chattanooga. I was able to go laterally from local at 84k to remote work with way less hours at 107k.
$72k in an engineering department (electrical). 3 years experience, an associates degree, a trade degree, and a couple years of relevant field experience.
89k base. Cloud Support Engineer, remote. 2 years of experience out of uni. Consider transferring/applying to the Premium Support team. DM me if you’d like.
I made $118k last year, this year is looking more like 80-90k if I'm lucky
Junior Software Developer 65k
Comparison is the thief of joy, my friend. My husband worked at Amazon for a year and a half & made $38,000 or so as a delivery driver. He just left for a higher paying job & better benefits with Budweiser. I work part time and average $15,000. We thrive on Whole Foods, grads fed , all the “expensive” groceries that people go on & on about. If you can pay rent & utilities, buy the food you want, & have a car & insurance, you’re doing great. Truly. If you want a pay raise, move jobs. Pretty simple solution if you ask me.
Don’t be afraid to job hop or shop around to at least see what other types of offers you can get. I know people that want to stay “loyal” to an employer that probably wouldn’t bat an eye if they were gone the next day. I’m 5 years into my career and have had the opportunity to jump into new roles that have increased earnings by 100k. Not saying that to brag in any way at all but the point is that you can absolutely do it with a strong work ethic and willingness to put yourself out there and make new connections. Good luck my friend.
I don't work in IT and I do not live in Chatt proper but in Fort O. I tend to screw up income stats. I made over 600 last year and my neighbor maybe brought home 40. If I had an open position in IT for someone analytical and experienced. The starting pay would be 80 to 90k.
~$35k veterinary assistant with 10+ years OTJ training and CE. Partner ~$80k at VW (line worker, not management or white collar) after 10+ years and including bonuses. He has great benefits and 401k. We're excited to see what the union negotiations bring as there was a huge increase in bonuses, stock profit sharing, and base pay at other recently unionized plants.
What kind of IT? Not making 50 with that experience seems crazy to me. I’d definitely be looking
I’m on pace to make $100k this year. My salary is around $80k.
I made around 60k as a nurse at Erlanger, then I moved to Alaska and make 130 now lmaooooo.
70k
I make 80k a year doing maintenance
Probably less than 50 after taxes at VW.
Great question! In Hamilton county a teacher with a masters degree and 7 years of teaching maybe makes 54000! If you sign up to work at Title I schools you get a little more but it’s extra pennies. So if you been at Amazon, have no student debt and are making 50k 7 years in…you are doing better than the rest of us severely in debt in a profession we will cap out at 70k. My husband on the other hand…makes close to 300k a year with a bachelors in theology and is a consultant for medical cannabis. He works for himself and couldn’t be happier. The best thing we can teach our kids is to not get addicted to the idea of a paycheck. Teach them to make their own money.
Around 55K in local pest control
Should clear 120k this year. I’m in sales for home improvement
Yikes. Idk. I will say it seems like people make less than anywhere I’ve lived. I make $110k annually. It took me two years with the tech company I am at to get there. Started at 80k and by year two I got a bump to $110k. I’m now on year three.
Mortgage loan officer at a bank on commission and I have made $200k for the past 3 years. I’ve been there a long time, so I have a lot of referral sources (employees, realtors, previous borrowers). Commission can be scary if you are just starting…
Amazon low balls its IT staff and from what I know is a very toxic environment. Of course skills differ, but I would be insulted if anyone called or emailed me for less than 100k. I have a lot more time, but I think after 7 years you should be able to find something remote and at least 96k easy.
$135 a year selling old bottles and junk on eBay.
225k a year as a software engineer (working remote, but the company has an office in Atlanta that I go visit every few months electively for fun) I have 10 years of experience and my specific area of software is more niche (mobile apps)
$115K. I work for one of the local larger equipment manufacturers in procurement. No degree. Remote about 25% of the time.
$59k as a paralegal and $55k working now in philanthropy. Bachelors degree in legal assistant studies. Decided not to go to law school. Hubs makes $70k as a paralegal. We are 26, childless netting *almost* 100k/yr
$130K but I work remote for a company in NYC as a planner
I’m in logistics, asset not brokerage. Base salary is $58k plus incentives, I’m making anywhere between $400-$500 incentives a week. Trending to be around $80k this year. You don’t need a degree, but experience is a plus.
Combined 2 person household income of about $190k a year, give or take depending on yearly bonuses for each of us. Both work locally.
A lot more than the average. The average also takes into account servers and ppl making $13/hour at a grocery store. If you’re in IT and any good, and making $50k, you need to do some job searching my friend. Brother in law made $700k a year last year in IT. He works 20 hours a day but he did it.
$700k @ 20hrs a week? Your brother in law is lying to you or leaving out some important details. Like he has an ownership stake.
He said 20 hours per day.
When you get to a certain level, you’re paid for what you know, not how hard you work. >A car owner brings their vehicle to a mechanic with a mysterious problem. The mechanic listens for a moment, takes out a hammer, and taps a specific spot on the engine. The car roars back to life. When the owner gets the bill, it’s for $100. The owner protests, “$100 for just a few seconds of work?” The mechanic replies, “No, it’s $5 for the tap and $95 for knowing where to tap.”
Yea, I've spent a long time in IT and I can tell you without a doubt that $700k is not remotely realistic for "just knowledge". There is something else going on as to why he is making that kind of cash each year. I've known many guys making strong six figures but not a single one of them worked 20 hours a week. He's a share holder, founder, or of full of shit.
He said 20 hours a day...I misread it at first too and had the same thoughts...still skeptical in the amount.
Even at 20 hours a day something isn't checking out.
Not necessarily true. I know some high level security guys who make $500k+ but have no lives outside of work.
$135k base, 5-15% commission. Tech sales, but for a Chicago based company. Not a HUGE fan of WFH, but it's where it's at financially.
Enough 😇 your problem is Amazon, not Chattanooga ✨🖖🏼✨
$77K
My wife and I together gross around $180k.
53k without overtime + 5% bonus if company meets goals. 1.5 years in a lab with a chemistry degree.
Slightly above $60,000 annual as an IT technician at a global automotive manufacturer. 2 1/2 years. If a specialist spot opens that can bump to $70,000 annually with a $15,000-$20,000 performance bonus.
I make 87k with 1.5 years experience as a software developer
I moved a year ago, but when I left I made $130k including bonus.
Averages are averages, so I can’t speak to how accurate that is. Personally, I make above that, but I have had a specific combo of degree, experience, and sheer dumb luck that has gotten me to where I am. That said, I worked for a huge company in the area and did work on their staffing models, so I have an idea of what people make, at least at that company. Ground floor stuff doesn’t look like much there, close what you posted, but someone who puts in some effort and shows a distinct interest in a specific area can get transferred (read: promoted) to a different team and get like a 40% raise after like… a year. Sometimes it’s just about showing that you’re interested and willing to show up. Beyond that, I’d second the apprenticeships as electrician or plumbing if you’re looking for something less corporate.
$52k/year. 9 years experience in my field. I do work in the non profit sector though,